Blackjack
by OneMinutePastTea
Summary: In an alternate universe, Ciel and Sebastian are both high-school students at the same prestigious academy. After his parents are murdered, Ciel (grudgingly) seeks out help and begins to collect his pawns to get revenge on the serial killer that took his parents.
1. Introduction

_A Black Butler High School Themed Alternate Universe Fic_  
_Some of the characters are obviously going to be a little to a lot OOC, because I've changed things up a bit as to make them fit more naturally into the more modern environment._  
_This will be full of my own headcanons, as well as new traits, insights or attitudes for some characters._  
_Also yaoi warning._  
_None of the characters of Black Butler belong to me, etc. etc._

Introduction

Ciel felt empty as he donned his terribly wrinkled dress shirt and grabbed a tie from the top of his dresser with a pale, trembling hand. After a minute of war, he threw it to the floor in frustration. He didn't need to see the social worker, he was just fine on his own. He had the remains of his parents' fortune, even though it could not legally be released to him until he was much older. Also, he had money from his Aunt, a college professor, as well as some from his consulting job with the homicide unit of Scotland Yard. Ciel paused, staring at himself in the mirror, quickly brushing his bangs over the menacing scars marring the perfect skin around his right eye. The young teen's grey-blue hair was messy and disheveled, his shirt a dirty and wrinkled wreck. A sigh escaped his mouth as dark blue eyes darted between untouched burnt toast, the defeated blue tie crumpled on the plush carpet, and the young boy's untied shoes.

"Maybe I do need some help."

"You're a lucky boy, Ciel, you have lots of options." The tall, dark-haired social worker consulted her clipboard. "You can have your Aunt Red take you in, most orphans don't have relatives to live with. Your father's business partner Mr. Tanaka has also offered to house you, and you still have the option of foster care." She smiled so sweetly it left a bad taste in Ciel's mouth. "You must be a very special little boy."

"And if I don't like any of those options?" Ciel grimaced, the echoes of the social worker's condescending tone bouncing around his cranium. She paused, taken aback, and pushed up her bronze-rimmed glasses with a perfectly manicured hand.

"Well, you have to be with an adult in some sense, I mean, we can't have a minor living by themselves. If you're really so opposed to those options, you could have Ms. Red as you guardian but have another adult stay with you..."

"I suppose that will have to do." Ciel pouted "Arrange the paperwork with my aunt, and I'll take care of the rest." The social worker stared in awe as this young child ordered her about. After the door closed behind him she sneered and muttered

"Little brat."

Ciel collapsed onto his bed, not wanting to go to school tomorrow, he didn't want to face what that would mean. He'd skipped school for the last month, unable to face fact his mother wouldn't be singing in the kitchen, preparing breakfast and packing his lunch. He didn't want to accept that they were gone, that his father was no longer there to drive him to school and tell him to have a good day before heading off to work. Ciel had been trying to tell himself they were just on vacation, that everything that he'd seen was just a dream. A terrible dream.

He knew he would have to face it when he woke up the next day, and he wasn't sure how he was going to manage.

Elsewhere, on another bed, in a darker, rougher part of town, another teen is alone at home. The older, black-haired boy snored softly, sleeping soundly after a day of hard work. His hand slips off the frameless mattress and onto the cold, concrete floor. Reddish-brown eyes pop open, and he jolts awake, breathing heavily. He glances over to the stove, which is on the opposite wall of his one-room apartment. On it an old fashioned iron is in the process of heating up. Drowsily, he spreads his uniform on the bed. He makes his way to the heated iron, pushing a broken lawn chair out of his path. The iron was a dangerous, primitive thing, but it was all he could afford and he didn't wish to get suspended because his uniform was untidy. Untidy things bothered him anyway. He didn't have the money to go to such a nice private school, that much was clear from his cramped apartment whose brick walls were crumbling, the only source of light had been a candle whose flame was extinguished by a draft coming from the cracked window. He had worked so hard for the scholarship, but the money was running out fast. He barely had enough money for the rent on this broken and grimy place he had to call home, and was unsure if he had enough left to make it through his senior year.

Flipping through the ridiculous number of student dossiers had been pointless thus far, Ciel sighed, leaning back into the blue velvet armchair. He paused on the file he had in his hand, and stuffed a handful of popcorn in his mouth. For a split second, he glanced forlornly at the tea set on the carved wood coffee table. If only he knew how to make tea. Returning to the dossiers, he opened the one in his lap. A scholarship student whose funds are running out, the bastard child of a wealthy family; kicked out when he was young and forced to live on his own with little help from his filthy rich family.

"Highly ambitious..." Ciel read "Determined to prove himself worthy of his family name..." Ciel smirked. "Yes, you will be an excellent pawn. You are exactly what I need, Sebastian Michaelis."


	2. Chapter 1

_This is a rather quick update, as I pre-wrote this chapter. The rest should follow monthly. Each chapter is roughly 6 pages and 2500 words._

Chapter 1

"Ciel Phantomhive! What on Earth do you think you're doing?" Ciel froze at the sound of the professor's booming voice, he must have noticed him sneaking into class late. Embarrassed, Ciel tried to stammer out an excuse, but he was quickly cut off. "Look at the state of your uniform! Get yourself out of my classroom and into the Headmaster's office this instant!" Ciel sighed, his heeled boots clicking loudly on the floor and echoing around the deserted hallway.

He stared blankly at the Headmaster's name plate _W. T. Spears, _then glanced down at his uniform, it really was in terrible shape. His thoughts turned to the older student from the dossier he'd acquired through his Yard contacts. Under what circumstances had he been kicked out? And at what age? Why did he go to Winston's Academy? Ciel wasn't aware that they offered scholarships...Ciel's thoughts were interrupted by a loud sigh.  
"Were you even listening to me?" Headmaster Spears asked, removing his glasses and rubbing his temples in an irritated fashion."I don't have the time to waste on someone who isn't listening."

"A...apologies, headmaster." Ciel feigned caring for his elder's time and played with the shining blue and silver ring on his right thumb. "What were you trying to tell me?"

"Why don't you just inform your teachers of your parents'..." W. T. Spears pushed his thinly rimmed glasses, trying to put it as delicately as possible. "...untimely demise."  
"Absolutely not."  
"Look, Ciel, losing your parents is hard. By law, they're required to give you extra time."  
"I don't want special treatment, I'm just fine."  
"Then, Ciel Phantomhive, you're suspended on the account of the disgraceful state of your uniform and your tardiness."  
"What?! But- Will- I!"  
"That's headmaster to you, Phantomhive." Ciel cleared his throat sarcastically  
"But, Headmaster, there's someone I must see today."  
"I suppose that's too bad then."

Ciel was escorted off the property by a rather imposing looking security guard. Disgruntled but undefeated, he sat down right on the edge of the grounds and waited for school to get out. He bit his lip, slumping against the big oak tree. Ciel hadn't even managed to make it half a day on his own. His sapphire eyes squeezed shut, the dark circles under them dark and prominent, he hadn't slept much the night before. Ciel's dreams were plagued by the screams of his parents, and the images their killer had burned into his mind and eye. Shaky breaths turned to slow, calm breathing. Before he realized it, Ciel was asleep.

Sebastian began his walk home, thankful he didn't have too many afternoon classes. He stopped, noticing a young boy with grey-blue hair asleep under the oak. His uniform looked like it had been coated in a thin layer of dirt and he seemed as if he'd been there awhile.  
"Hello? Excuse me..." Sebastian gave the boy a concerned look, noticing a strangely shaped scar on the younger boy's cheek. Giving into his curiosity, Sebastian ran a finger over it, as Ciel didn't look like he was going to wake up any time soon. On closer inspection, it looked like a three leaf clover, like the ones on cards. The rest of his face was obscured by his odd gray-blue hair. "Are you okay?" Sebastian moved his hand back to Ciel's shoulder and shook him lightly.

Ciel was shaken from his slumber by a large hand on his shoulder. He mumbled something incoherent and reluctantly opened his eyes, the light was blinding for a second, for the one eye he had that still worked. Blinking furiously, Ciel tried to place the voice calling out to him, but it wasn't one he recognized. He finally focused on the pale face in front of him, and on the auburn eyes staring into his. Startled, he jerked away, hitting his head on the trunk of the tree behind him.  
"Ow!" Ciel rubbed his head where he'd bumped it.  
"Ah, sorry, did I scare you?" Sebastian smiled.  
"No I was just startled, who even are-" Ciel stopped, studying the older boy in front of him. He was tall, with black hair parted in the middle, and a pair of distinctive reddish eyes. Ciel mentally answered his own question, recognizing his face from the dossiers he'd wasted most of his night on. "Are you Sebastian Michaelis?" The other boy paused.  
"I suppose it depends on who's asking."  
"Ciel Phantomhive." Sebastian thought a bit, he'd seen that name before. Phantomhive...Phantomhive...How could he forget! The names Vincent and Rachel Phantomhive were on the placard on the library. They were the ones who donated the massive delectus to the school.  
"Then yes, I'm Sebastian."  
"Good. I have a proposal for you." Ciel began pulling his bangs over his blinded eye, hoping the other hadn't seen anything he shouldn't have while Ciel was asleep.

Ciel had refused to tell Sebastian what this proposal was until after he'd gotten some tea. Now, they were sitting in a cute coffee shop, with plush faux leather chairs and beautiful art on the walls. The people around them were chattering happily, Ciel leaned on the counter,

"Want anything?" He asked his older companion, Sebastian shook his head, marvelling at the decor. Apart from school, it was the nicest place Sebastian had been for a long time. He watched Ciel sip happily at his tea, and waited for this proposal.

"I have a problem and it seems as if you are the best solution." Ciel set his teacup back on its dainty saucer, dabbing his mouth delicately with a napkin.  
"I don't understand." Sebastian looked at his watch, before remembering it was broken. This was taking longer than expected and he had work soon. Although his watch was no help with this, as it always seemed to be stuck at twelve o' one.  
"I need you to stay with me. I'll pay you."  
"I still don't understand...You'll pay me?"  
"Yes, one thousand dollars."  
"One thousand dollars? A month?" Sebastian's jaw dropped. One thousand dollars was a lot of money. It was definitely enough to pay rent, finish school, and eat more than two meals. Ciel scoffed,  
"No, a week." Ciel sipped his tea. If Sebastian had also been drinking tea, he would have spit it out.  
"What do you need me to do?" His mind was in overdrive. He could pay for his schooling, a better apartment, he could eat something other than ramen all the time, he might actually be able to get a cat of his own, instead of working at that shelter downtown. In fact, he wouldn't have to work at that shelter at all. He wouldn't have to put up with his terrible landlord or overly flirtatious gender-confused supervisor...  
"Sebastian?" Ciel's voice broke him free of his whirlwind of thoughts.  
"Y...yes?" Starled, Sebastian crossed his arms.  
"I'll need you to stay with me. And I'll be listing you as a butler so the pay makes sense."  
"A butler? Isn't that a bit old-fashioned?" Sebastian raised an eyebrow.  
"Well I'll need you to help me do things. Like clean. And dress. And make tea. Occasionally, you'll need to protect me. You can do that, right?"  
"I can do anything you ask, of course!" Sebastian stumbled over his words, his brain working faster than his mouth could speak.  
"It's settled then. Gather your things." Sebastian looked from his school bag to Ciel.  
"These are my things."  
"What?" Cie's mouth fell open a bit, all Sebastian had with him was his school uniform and a large shoulder bag. "Those can't be all your things."  
"They are...um...there are some things I need to to take care of."  
"Be at my place tonight, Sebastian. We'll work out the details of our arrangement." Ciel said, holding out a piece of paper to his older classmate.

Panting heavily from running such a long distance in a short time, Sebastian burst through the doors of the animal shelter. A feminine voice rang through the lobby,  
"Bassy!" Sebastian grimaced, recognizing the voice of his supervisor, Grell Sutcliffe. The redheaded college student burst through the double doors behind the counter. Licking his lips and leaning over the counter, Grell took a handful of Sebastian's tie, pulling the younger student towards him. "You're late."  
"Sorry." Sebastian stated, almost sarcastically.  
"Bassy, don't take such a tone to me. You know what I can do to you..." Grell smile dripped with menace as he roughly pulled Sebastian down to his level. Even with his ridiculous heels, he wasn't quite as tall as Sebastian. Regardless, he was right. Sebastian did know what Grell could do to him. Sutcliffe was the aspiring actor's stage name, his real last name was Spears. Grell was the younger brother of the headmaster of Winston's Academy and the reason Sebastian had gotten the scholarship in the first place, because Winston's normally didn't offer scholarships. Sebastian looked at the counter, unsure of what to do.  
"Yeah, I know..." Sebastian paused, he didn't know if the job with the Phantomhive boy would work out. But he'd still have to keep it a secret from Grell.  
"Come on darling, you're eighteen now, our love is no longer forbidden!" Sebastian winced inwardly. The effeminate redhead was right, he couldn't use his age to get out of whatever this was anymore. "At least let me have a kiss!"  
"I need to tend to the cats...because I'll be gone for a few days..." Sebastian worked his tie out of Grell's grip, dropping his bag over the counter and sliding over it nonchalantly. Grell pouted, grabbing his wrist and pinning him to the wall.  
"You're going away?" Grell whined "Leaving me without even a kiss? Without me you'd be nothing. Don't forget that. I'm doing this because I love you." Sebastian doubted that greatly. The high-school student had never known love, but Grell's sick obsession was creepy and out of hand.  
"Just for a little bit. I'll be back." It wasn't technically a lie, he would be back to return to the job or tell Grell he quit for good.  
"I won't let you go without getting a kiss." Grell pouted more, tightening his grip on Sebastian's wrists.  
"I guess we'll be here awhile then." Grell's captive grimaced.  
"Well," Grell giggled, leaning in "I suppose I'll have to take what I want, then..." The redhead grinned, pressing his lipstick slicked lips against his unwilling partner's. Sebastian struggled against his body's response. He stifled a gag, swallowing the contents of his stomach that were trying to escape. "You're not very good at this." Grell pouted, smearing the bit of lipstick transferred to Sebastian's lips with his finger.  
"Relationships are something I don't have time for." Sebastian barely had time for anything these days, but there also hadn't been anyone he'd want to be with thus far in his life. That wasn't odd, right? He had only just turned eighteen.  
"Saving yourself for me?" Grell waggled his hips in excitement. "That's so cute!" Sebastian sighed, he supposed it didn't hurt to let Grell have his disgusting fantasies as long as he didn't try anything beyond kissing. Sebastian detached himself from his superior's grip.  
"I must tend to the cats."  
"Oh, don't be shy, Bassy!"  
"Isn't that what you love about me?" Sebastian tried his hand at a charming smile, he inwardly shook his head and vowed never to do that again. Grell swooned.  
"Leave me if you must, my love!" Sebastian shivered in disgust, and escaped as quickly as he could.

Sebastian sat in the center of a mass of meowing cats. He picked up a small, grey kitten, wiping the remains of crimson lipstick from his lips to kiss the kitten on the head.  
"I got an offer for something that will pay much more than I could ever earn here." He sighed, putting the kitten down. "But I'm not sure about going to work for someone of the same class as my 'family' that threw me out." He stroked an older persian cat, who purred and rubbed against his leg. "The rich are shallow and fickle, they act as if they know everything, when they only know what it's like to have everything you want. They don't understand hard work, or compassion." He sighed, lying down on the carpeted floor. "Somehow I still feel I need to prove myself to them, my 'family'...prove that I'm worthy of their, no, our family name." The cats didn't appear to be listening, but Sebastian was accustomed to talking to himself. "What have I really accomplished with my life?" The question hung in the air above him, and he pulled the grey kitten onto his chest. "Maybe I'll get to take you home sometime..." The kitten batted at the stray black hair lying across Sebastian's nose. "Would you like that?" A black cat curled up in his lap, and the ash-colored kitten licked his nose. "I'll take that as a yes." a striped orange cat slipped under his hand, he gave them all a sad smile. "I'll miss you all, and I'll visit if I don't come back to work here. Promise." The grey kitten stared at him with big, cute kitten eyes. "Fine, fine."

Calmly facing his terrifying landlord, Sebastian held the grey kitten in his arms. He explained that he would be leaving between the aging sweat ball's fits of yelling. Wiping spit from his cheek, he took a couple school books from his old home, and began the long walk to the Phantomhive residence.

Sebastian had completely underestimated what the west side of the city would be like, the streets were swarming with stretch limousines and Porsches and Ferraris. The men on the street wore designer suits, with their wives in furs and gucci purses walking tiny yapping dogs. Sebastian held the kitten closer to his chest, walking faster towards the address Ciel had given him. He soon reached a tall, shimmering building, the top of which was obscured from sight by the large, dark clouds blanketing the city.  
"You think this is really it?" Sebastian questioned his furry companion, who meowed in response. They approached the doorman, a middle-aged man with a cigarette hanging from his mouth. "Does Ciel Phantomhive live here?"  
"What's it to you?" The doorman scoffed, flicking ash onto the lapel of Sebastian's blazer. He glared, dusting it off with his free hand.  
"I'm a friend from school." He motioned to the silver and black school crest on his slightly dirtied collar. "Sebastian Michaelis, go ahead and call up, or whatever it is you do. He's expecting me." feigning confidence, he corrected his posture and tried to give the doorman an indifferent stare. The door man rolled his eyes,  
"Go on up. Top floor." He said, tossing his cigarette to the concrete and stomped it out before opening the door for the tall, dark-haired boy and his tiny cat.  
"Thanks." Sebastian entered the lobby, taking a second to examine his surroundings. The marble floors reflected the light from the crystal chandeliers overhead. Luxurious red and gold carpet runners dictated the paths to the front desk, the elevators, and the stairs. Oriental vases, stone busts, and other expensive decor accented the victorian-esque wallpaper, which shimmered with pale gold specks. Overwhelmed, Sebastian and his kitten companion stumbled towards the elevators. Silver doors opened. Sebastian began his ascent to the penthouse of the Phantomhive apartments, and his heart sank.


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The inside of the elevator was lavish as the lobby Sebastian had just left. He leaned on a golden rail, and watched the city grow smaller through the glass wall. Had it really been such a good idea to come here? Did this Ciel Phantomhive really want to hire him? Sebastian shook his head, trying to dislodge these negative thoughts. The highest floor the elevator could go to was the fiftieth floor, the first floor of the Phantomhive penthouse. There was a nervous feeling in the pit of Sebastian's stomach. He tried to ignore it, focusing on the cute kitten trying to hide in his blazer. The elevator doors opened with a ding, and Sebastian emerged into a small entryway with a coat rack and a spectacular pair of double doors. Sebastian raised a hand to knock, but the doors were flung open before he had a chance.  
"Sebastian!" Ciel looked panicked and upset.  
"What? Is something wrong?"  
"Can you cook?"

Sebastian left his bag and the kitten in the room Ciel instructed him to. He searched the kitchen top to bottom, but it was almost empty and the food that was there was spoiled. He found a couple packages of top ramen, and began to search for a pot to boil water.  
"Why didn't you just make this?" Sebastian held up the package of cheap noodles.  
"I was afraid I'd burn the water." Ciel blushed.  
"Burn...the...?" Sebastian sighed "How have you been eating?" Ciel glanced shamefully at the empty pizza boxes by the trash can, kicking one further into hiding.  
"I made it work." Ciel crossed his arms. "Also, I'm allergic to cats."  
"Excuse me?" Sebastian looked up from his work.  
"Nothing." Ciel sighed, leaning on the counter. "Shall we discuss the terms of our contract now or while we eat?" Ciel slipped onto a barstool to watch Sebastian cook.  
"Now is fine, I have to wait for the water to boil." Sebastian scoured the kitchen for anything else to use in dinner.  
"You might want to sit down," Ciel leaned forwards on his elbows "To tell you what I need from you I need to tell you a story, and unfortunately it's a bit of a long one."  
"I'm fine standing, but I appreciate your concern." Sebastian smiled, placing a lid on the pot so it would boil faster.

Ciel began to tell his life's story to the dark ambiance of the incoming storm, a fitting background for his woeful tale.  
"My father headed the Funtom company, as well as being a consultant of the Yard. My mother held the second chair in the company, but that's not really important. A case my father was helping investigate seemed to have gotten him in trouble, he and my mother were murdered three months ago. Shortly after his passing, I went through his computer, and used his personal email to send the Yard insights on the serial killer they'd been trying to catch. After all, the killer came here and trashed the place before going after my parents. Maids came and cleaned, against my will. They probably cleaned any evidence the killer left behind, so I fired them. After about a week of emailing the Yard about numerous cases from the news from my father's account, they came here to retrieve his laptop, presumably thinking something terribly stupid about his ghost being trapped inside it. I explained that I was the one sending the emails, as I did not wish to leave the house and it was something interesting to occupy my time with. I suppose they were amazed at my ability and that was why they hired me in my father's stead. This comes to why I need you, it's complicated so I'll put it as simply as I can. In order to get revenge on my parent's killer, I can't stay with any of my relatives. They call it a dangerous obsession and I..." Ciel paused, he knew they were was trying to stay calm, but his parent's pain-filled screams and tortured faces haunted his mind. He took in a shaky breath "...I can't let it go. I've seen the blackjack killer and I doubt he's going to let me live much longer. I don't know how to cook or clean, or even dress...And I need someone who can keep me safe until I've exacted my revenge." Sebastian set down the two white soup bowls he'd found in a cabinet and drained the water from the thin, white noodles.  
"Why don't you just hire a bodyguard and some maids then?" He asked, skillfully slicing a small log of pink and white fish cake.  
"I can't trust just anyone." Ciel rolled his eyes, hadn't he made that obvious?  
"What makes me not just anyone?" Sebastian turned his back briefly to take the steamed spinach off the stove.  
"You know next to nothing of my business and probably don't care." Sebastian lifted an eyebrow, starting to arrange the food in the two dishes.  
"Someone's done their research." He laughed quietly "Though from what you've told me of your investigative skills, I shouldn't be surprised."  
"You'll have to be with me at all times. You'll make sure the house is clean and that I'm fed, dressed, and most importantly, alive." Ciel pulled his bangs over his eye once again, and Sebastian took the two bowls to the dining table and set it accordingly.  
"I hope this is alright. It's really nothing fancy." He pulled out the chair for his younger classmate. Ciel moved from his barstool perch to the magnificent dark dining table, settling himself into the chair that Sebastian had pulled out for him.  
"Thank you, Sebastian." Ciel fumbled clumsily with the chopsticks before getting them in the right position. Being almost completely alone for three months causes one to lose one's table manners, Ciel supposed.

"What do I call you?" Sebastian had been wondering about this for awhile. This job that Ciel wanted him for likened him to a glorified servant. Sebastian sat in the seat opposite, balancing his utensils on the rim of his bowl.

"What do you mean?" Ciel pushed around his food, not starving but not exactly hungry either. Talking about the traumatic incident in his near past has unsettled his stomach quite a bit.

"Acting as a sort of servant, or butler, it seems a bit unprofessional to call you by your first name." Sebastian mused, "So what do I call you instead? Sir? Master?"  
"Either of those is fine. I really don't care." Ciel resolved to at least try to consume something, as he'd forgotten what not-pizza tasted like. He raised the noodles to his lips, ignoring his companion for the time being.  
"Alright. I apologize for tonight's meal..." Sebastian waited for Ciel to eat first "I'll do laundry tonight," he could tell it was needed from the state of Ciel's clothes. He'd have to find an iron somewhere, and some starch. "I'll go grocery shopping tomorrow morning, and make something more...complex." Sebastian's fingers tapped nervously on the seat of his chair as he watched Ciel eat. This kid was probably used to five-star chefs cooking with the rarest and most high quality ingredients, and Sebastian was sure this unplanned whipped-together meal would do nothing to impress him. With a clump of noodles and spinach trapped between his chopsticks, Sebastian stared out at the London skyline, the lights in the buildings shining like little man-made stars. The Phantomhive was the second tallest building in London, thirty-six floors shorter than The Shard, if you weren't including the plant floors of each building.  
"Mm..." Sebastian turned to face Ciel, who was dabbing at his mouth daintily with a napkin as he spoke. "I'll get you a company card for household expenses." Sebastian was flabbergasted by the boy's behavior for a second time that day. He cleared the table of the empty dishes and got to work on the pile that had already collected. Ciel returned to the counter, releasing a small sigh as he spread his fingers over the cool marble countertops. "Feel free to buy yourself some new clothes with it as well. I can't have you wearing your uniform everywhere we go, so you'll need some tailored suits." Sebastian glanced up from the dishes.  
"I'll make up a schedule for tomorrow, for now you should probably get to work on all the things you missed from school." Sebastian suggested, returning to the massive assemblage of soiled porcelain.  
"I'm paying you to obey me, not to tell me what to do!" Ciel's apathetic tone quickly changed as he spat out his words like venom. The slam of Ciel's bedroom door made Sebastian jump, he then made a mental note to try not to anger his young employer.

Ciel had been sulking in his room for hours, staring intently at his right eye. He sighed, falling back onto his plush white comforter. Closing his eyes, he tried to forget. For the past three months, he had been trying. But there are some things that haunt one's mind forever, regardless of how much one tries to forget. Ciel knew it was a futile effort, but some part of him realized if he continued the way he had, he would become an empty shell fueled by hatred and some far-fetched fantasy of revenge. He was so tired; sleep had been a commodity lately, and it was something he was sorely missing. Ciel's thoughts turned to his elder classmate. Maybe things would be easier with someone else around...Provided he didn't have ulterior motives or was working with Blackjack somehow. He knew Sebastian had to be smart, which was good in its own way. Someone any duller could easily be conned into working with the enemy. Then again, the only thing Sebastian got out of this was money, and he could easily work both sides for a while before Ciel figured him out. That was the problem with people: without a proper moral line one could be conned into most anything. Maybe this entire thing was a setup to begin with, the blackjack killer probably hired Sebastian as an undercover assassin to kill Ciel in his sleep. No, he was being frivolous, the killer had a chance to end Ciel's life. Why didn't he just do it himself? "Maybe, just maybe..." Ciel thought, "He wants me alive..." Ciel sat in silence before finishing that thought.  
"But why?" He wasn't aware that last part had actually emerged from his lips until there was a soft knock on the door. "Ah! Y..yes?"  
"May I come in?" Sebastian's voice echoed faintly from beyond the door of Ciel's bedroom. Ciel paused, and nodded. "Sir?"  
"Sorry, Sebastian. Yes, come in." He sat up and brushed his hair back over his blind eye. Sebastian closed the door behind him.  
"I need the clothes you're wearing for laundry. I have some fresh pajamas for you." Sebastian set them on the bed, getting down on one knee to untie Ciel's shoe.  
"Sebastian, I was suspended today."  
"I'm sure when you go in tomorrow all cleaned up the headmaster will change his mind about that." Sebastian set the shoes on the floor, and got up to unbutton Ciel's shirt. His fingers rested briefly on the collar "You...buttoned it wrong.."  
"Shut up and fix it, will you?" Ciel turned his head away and pouted.  
"Yes, sir." Sebastian began to unbutton Ciel's disheveled shirt.  
"What are you doing!?" The young boy blushed in a confused sort of way.  
"You said you needed help dressing," Sebastian smiled "and I could tell from the state of your clothes."  
"I'll do it myself! Out!" Ciel shoved him lightly, "I don't need your help!" Sebastian stopped, sitting down on the bed next to his younger employer.  
"Is that not why I'm here, though?" Sebastian leaned down to Ciel's level, pushing a stray black hair behind his ear. "To help you?"  
"I can undress myself, thank you." He said flatly, biting the inside of his cheek. "I just have a bit of a problem putting the right buttons in the right places..."  
"You're a very strange one, you know that?" Sebastian rose from the bed, setting the neatly folded pajamas on the white comforter beside Ciel. "First you tell me to fix it, then you tell me to go away..." Sebastian shook his head, picking up a small laundry basket and gingerly removing dirtied clothes from the cream carpet. "I'll leave this outside your room, place your school clothes in it for me to launder, alright?"  
"Alright." Ciel pressed his hand to his right eye, intently watching Sebastian leave with his still-useful left. The door clicked softly as it shut, the gold fixture snapping the automatic lock into place. The young boy buried his face in his hands, forcing his bangs upwards. What would he have done if Sebastian had seen? How would he have explained? Just nonchalantly mention his parents had been brutally murdered in front of him and that he had been tortured and half-blinded. No big deal, really. Ciel sighed, running his fingers over the abnormal scars burnt into the skin around his eye. Anywhere else, it could have been a scar that could be ignored. Instead, every time he looked into a mirror, he was faced with what had happened. Sadistic bastard, he must have done it on purpose. Ciel ran his thumbs along the collar of his shirt, doubting his decision to take Sebastian on for a second time that day. Ciel tried to pull away from his obvious trust issues as he donned a matching set of horrid pastel pajamas. Crumpling his school clothes into a ball, he reached for the doorknob. He tossed the clothes out the door, not caring if they made it into the basket or not. Slamming the door, Ciel returned to bed, flopping face first into his pillows.

Sebastian rolled his eyes, plucking the clothes from the floor to add them to the basket. Wondering about what he thought he had seen when he had awoken the sleeping boy earlier that day, Sebastian walked to the laundry room. That kid was hiding something, for sure. "Between the strange marking on his eye, and the three months of truancy..." Sebastian thought, separating the clothes by colour and putting Ciel's school clothes in the wash. "...something terrible must have happened."


End file.
